Compacted bookstacks



n p e SW P t n COMPACTED BOOKSTACKS Angus S. Macdonald, Orange, Va, and Lntz E. Helbig, Scotch Plains, N. 5., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Globe-Wernieke (30., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 12, 1950, Serial No. 200,403

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-450) This invention relates to improvements in compacted bookstacks of the character set forth in the Angus Snead Mac-donald prior application, Ser. No. 53,899, filed Octobe": 11, 1948, now Patent No. 2,645,356, granted July 14, 1953.

In large libraries, such as university and city libraries, there is need for an especially large capacity in number of books. The estimated capacity in a given space often is inconsistent with actual capacity found to exist after completion of the library. This difficulty lies in the fact that volumes which must be stored in the library vary widely in size and thickness, which affects both the number of volumes that can be placed on a given shelf and the number. of shelves that can be accommodated between floor and ceiling. It is important, therefore, not only to provide flexibility of storage capacity, but also to achieve maximum efficiency in a given area.

An object of this invention is to improve the construction of bookstacks to obtain maximum capacity of the stack system at minimum cost, as well as to accommodate little-used material to which access may be had only on infrequent occasions but is available when needed.

A further object of the invention is to provide bookstacks that are pivoted for swinging movement into and out of nested relation so, as to locate movable and fixed stacks in side-by-side relation, close to each other, without intervening aisles therebe'tween, and wherein the movable stacks are capable of swinging motion to gain access to books or materials on the fixed stacks.

Still another object of the invention is to improve the construction of book's'tacks to provide secure structure for swinging motion thereof in a simple and inexpensive mounting that will provide for easy movement of one stack with respect to another, and yet without adding-appreciabl'y to the cost of the installation, keeping it at a minimum.

These objects may be accomplished by providing an assembly "of stora e b'ookstack's, one row of stacks being fixed in stationary position, and a second row of stacks being mounted for swinging movement with respect'th'eretodirectly in front of thefixed stacks and yet movable to :gain aceessnot only to the books on the fixed stacks but also to a back row of books on the movable stacks. lournals are provided in the floor and ceiling for habitating the movable stacks therebetwe'en, capable of free swinging motion on secure mountings at a minimumof costoiinstallation,

Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

V Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view of a compact storage system illustrating one form of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the movable stacks;

Fig; 3 is a detail plan View of a mounting therefor on the line 3. -3 iii-Fig.2;- V 1 Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionthrou gh ajportion thereof; 5 Fig.- 5 is'a front-elevation, r'tly section, showing a modified form of movable bookstack; and

ice

Fig. 6 is a cross section therethrough on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

The invention is shown as applied to a library structure of the character set forth more in detail in the aforesaid prior application, Ser. No. 53,899, filed October 11, 1948. This library structure includes storage space for books preferably arranged on one or more decks or floors, generally indicated at '2 in Fig. 2. These decks or floors are constructed as a part of the building assembly in permanent relation, and it is preferred that the bookstacks be erected therebetween.

We have shown in Fig. l a series of rows of bookstacks, includingfixed bookstacks 40 held in place by columns 41 erected between the floors or decks 2 and rigidly secured thereto in any suitable or well-known manner. The fixed bookstacks as have suitably arranged book shelves and, preferably, rows of shelves accessible from opposite sides of the fixed bookstack-s.

In side-by-side relation with the fixed bookstacks 40 are movable bookstacks 42 on one or both sides of the fixed bookstacks 40. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the fixed and movable bookstacks are in close side-by-side relation without aisles therebetween. However, the movable bookstacks are pivotally supported, as at 43 in Fig. l, capable of swinging movement into wide aisles between the rows of bookstacks, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, for gaining access not only tothe fixed bookstacks but also to the back rows of the movable bookstacks.

While the respective bookstacks may be of any desired construction, the movable bookstacks, preferably, are constructed as a unit capable of bodily swinging motion about the pivots 43 in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4. As here illustrated, each movable b'ooksta-ck comprises upright columns as supporting book shelves 45 thereon and held in rigid relation by a diagonal brace 46. The shelves may be secured to the columns in any conventional or desired manner. These parts form a unit capable of swinging motion about the pivots 43, which pivots are shown in Figs. 2 to 4 as provided by vertically aligned pivot pins at the top and bottom of the movable bookst'ack and desighated, respectively, at 43:: and 43b.

The top pivot pin 43a is secured rigidly in a cap plate 47 secured to the under side of the deck 2. This cap plate, preferably, extends between adjacent top pivot pins 431:: for aligned movable bookstacks, whereby the one cap plate will hold the books-tacks in end-to-end relation.

Each top pin 43a extends downward from the cap plate 4-7 and through a structural bracket 48 in which the pin is joufnaled. The bracket 48 is shown in the form or a rolled channelo'f secure material, such as steel, and extending transversely of the movable stack, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the adjacent column 44.

Thebottohr pivot pin 43b extends downward-through a bearing bracket 49, which also is shown as a channel extending laterally of'the movable bookstack and secured rigidly to the corresponding column. These brackets 48 and 49 may be welded, bolted, or otherwise secured in any desired manner to the column, being attached to the same column so as tolocate the pivot pins 43a and 43b inaxial alignment with each other.

The brackets 48 and 49, which preferably are formed of structural channels in the embodiment illustrated, rnust resist compression, tension, bending and torsion, and at the same time serve as supports for the adjacent books and as b'e'aring for the journals 43a and 43b about which the case revolves. In this form of the invention, the Opposite edge, of the b'ookstac'k is unsupported from the deck but the entire bookstack is carried on these brackets. Nevertheless, th;e swinging. case is made, of torsion and sagging-resistant construction, whereby it is supported ellectively from the pivots and yet is mainasses tained in rigid form, being both simple, strong and economical. The diagonal tie rod 46, one or more of which may be used as desired, forms an efiective brace adding to the rigidity of the construction. A vertical diaphragm. plate may be used in place of the tie rod, if desired.

The bottom pivot pin 43b extends downward through the bottom shelf 45 of the bookstack and has a ball thrust bearing 50 secured to the pin 43b and seated upon a base plate 51 which is supported upon the bottom deck 2 of the library structure, as shown in Fig. 4. The base plate 51, like the cap plate 47, extends between a pair of pivot pins 4%, anchoring together adjacent pivoted ends of movable stacks.

It will be noted that the pivot axis provided by the pins 43a and 43b is spaced inside the corner of the movable bookstack, spaced from both adjacent edges thereof, which makes it possible to reduce the width of the aisle and thereby secure greater storage capacity in the building as a whole. This design also permits freedom of adjustment of the shelves of the bookstack except for the bottom and top shelves which are stationary and fixed rigidly to the columns 44. The respective bookstacks, preferably, have shelves accessible from opposite sides of each, to which access may be had either directly from the main aisle, shown in Fig. 1, or upon swinging movement of the movable bookstack to gain access to the rows of books on the back thereof, as well as to the rows of books on the front of the next adjacent fixed bookstack 40.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the movable bookstacks are supported on aligned pivot pins 43a and 4352 at the top and bottom thereof, which have the axis thereof laterally outside the face of the bookstack and thereby outside the confines of the bookstack. This is made possible by extending the mounting brackets 48 g and 49 laterally from the bookstack column 44 that supports the shelves 45, to the extent indicated in Fig. 6. Such an arrangement may be used, if preferred under some conditions.

By providing a row of movable bookcases in front of a row of fixed bookcases, it is possible to gain access to three rows of books. One-third of these are accessible at all times at the outer face of the movable bookcases. These can be the most active books, while those located on the back face of the movable bookcases and on the fixed bookcases can be little-used books which, nevertheless, are made available when needed.

At the same time the large storage capacity obtained thereby can be accomplished at relatively small cost so as to provide a very efficient library storage of books.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in certain embodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as specified in the claims.

We claim:

1. A swinging bookstack construction comprising a first vertical column at one end of said bookstack, a second vertical column at the other end of said bookstack, a bottom shelf secured at its ends to the lower ends of said first and second columns and a plurality of other shelves supported at both of their ends by said columns, a horizontally extending upper mounting bracket secured to said first column adjacent its upper end, a horizontally extending lower mounting bracket secured to said first column just above said bottom shelf, bracing means fixed to an upper portion of said first column and to a lower portion of said second column, an upper deck, an upper hinge pin carried by said upper deck and journaled in said upper mounting bracket at a point displaced laterally from said first column, a lower deck, a lower hinge pin coaxial with said upper hinge pin carried by said lower deck and passing through said bottom shelf and being journaled in said lower mounting bracket, and a thrust bearing on said lower hinge pin upon which said bottom shelf rests to transmit the weight of said bookstack to said lower deck.

2. In a library compartment having upper and lower decks, a plurality of substantially solid banks of bookstacks separated by aisles, said aisles extending parallel to each other and being connected together at their ends by open spaces, each of said banks comprising a row of fixed bookstacks and a row of swingable bookstacks on each side of and close to said row of fixed bookstacks, said swingable bookstacks each comprising a first vertical column at one end of said bookstack, a second vertical column at the other end of said bookstack, a bottom horizontal shelf secured at its ends to the lower ends of said first and second columns and a plurality of other horizontal shelves supported at both of their ends by said columns, a horizontally extending upper mounting bracket secured to said first column adjacent its upper end, a horizontally extending lower mounting bracket secured to said first column just above said bottom shelf, an upper hinge pin rotatably connecting said upper mounting bracket to said upper deck at a point displaced laterally from said first column and adjacent one of the corners of said bookstack facing the adjacent aisle, a lower hinge pin coaxial with said upper hinge pin and passing through said bottom shelf and rotatably connecting said lower mounting bracket to said lower deck, and a thrust bearing on said lower hinge pin upon which said bottom shelf rests to transmit the weight of said bookstack to said lower deck.

3. In a library compartment having upper and lower decks, a row of fixed bookstacks and a row of swingable bookstacks on one side of and close to said row of fixed bookstacks, said swingable bookstacks each comprising a first vertical column at one end of said bookstack, a second vertical column at the other end of said bookstack, a bottom horizontal shelf secured at its ends to the lower ends of said first and second columns and a plurality of other horizontal shelves supported at both of their ends by said columns, a horizontally extending upper mounting bracket secured to said first column adjacent its upper end, a horizontally extending lower mounting bracket secured to said first column just above said bottom shelf, an upper hinge pin rotatably connecting said upper mounting bracket to said upper deck at a point displaced laterally from said first column and adjacent one of the corners of said bookstack, a lower hinge pin coaxial with said upper hinge pin and passing through said bottom shelf and rotatably connecting said lower mounting bracket to said lower deck, and a thrust hearing on said lower hinge pin upon which said bottom shelf rests to transmit the weight of said bookstack to said lower deck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 382,400 Wulfi May 8, 1888 655,715 Kessler Aug. 14, 1900 678,031 Peach July 9, 1901 747,062 Gill Dec. 15, 1903 850,210 Cady Apr. 16, 1907 1,116,484 Ralph Nov. 10, 1914 1,135,038 Middaugh Apr. 13, 1915 1,314,958 Goldberg Sept. 2, 1919 1,635,201 Bell et al. July 12, 1927 1,807,075 Skar et al. May 26, 1931 1,858,086 House May 10, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,432 Great Britain of 1899 268,128 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1950 332,963 France Sept. 8, 1903 558,732 Great Britain Jan. 18, 1944 

